The Mask I Wear
by Samwysesr
Summary: When an unexpected invitation to Court takes Viktoria Belikova completely by surprise, she is determined to have the time of her life and make it a memorable event. What she doesn't plan on is meeting a certain green eyed Moroi who is trying to get over a broken heart who will change her life forever. {Later chapters rated M} {This is NOT a Sydrian friendly story.}
1. Chapter 1: A Dream Come True

**A/N:** _If you are a die hard Sydrian fan, you probably __**DO NOT **__want to read this story—because I promise that as the story progresses, the later chapters will piss you off. I have never shipped that particular pairing, though I was starting to warm to the idea at the end of The Golden Lily. Unfortunately the two following books destroyed that, icing my heart over and making me retreat to the pairing I had been hoping for before Sydney took over as narrator. This entire story is based around one of the stories in my Vampire Academy:Drabbles collection, so if you want a hint about how it will progress, go check out Chapter Twelve: Adrian's Luck which is about Adrian Ivashkov meeting a certain beautiful young Russian. Oh and one more thing… it will tie in to the 'Letting go' story that Rose told in which Lissa finally lost her mind. Time frame is after the short story Homecoming and before Bloodlines.  
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_Happy reading, and feedback is always appreciated._

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_Dear Diary,_

_Mama called today with the most exciting news! We're going to Court!_

_I couldn't believe it at first, knowing that a trip of that magnitude was beyond our means entirely—it wasn't like taking the train to Novosibirsk to take Paul and Zoya to the zoo or even going to visit the capital. It would involve taking a plane all the way to America, not to mention paying for our lodgings and meals once we were there. She reassured me immediately, telling me the entire trip was being taken care of—so of course I immediately assumed Dimka was trying to treat us and flat out refused. My brother is well paid for a Guardian, but it still isn't a lot, and he and Roza need to be saving for the day when they purchase a home of their own. No matter how much I might want to visit the States, my brother's happiness is more important, especially after everything he's been through._

_Mama's soft laughter at my outburst confused me, but she quickly explained that our generous benefactor was none other than Zmey—and not only had he offered to pay for our entire trip, he'd also invited us to attend a party in the Queen's honor during our stay! The idea of being presented to the Queen of the Moroi is somehow exciting and frightening all at once; I have no idea how I should act or what I should say to someone so highly ranked, but Mama assures me that as long as I am polite and courteous, everything will be okay—though she said she will find out from Roza whether we should bow the way the Guardians do or whether we should courtesy when we meet her. That leaves me with only one problem to eat away at my mind—since the occasion will obviously be a formal one, what in the devil's name am I going to I wear?_

When we ended the call, I ran to the building that held the staff offices, politely knocking on Guardian Zykov's door and waiting for his invitation instead of just barging in the way I usually do. I shifted impatiently from one foot to the other, wondering what was taking him so long, because I knew that he was in—he had to be. Every novice at Saint Basil's was aware of the fact that the moment classes for the day were done, Fyodor Zykov retired to his office so he could toast his fallen allies with a glass of Russky Lyod at precisely 7:00 every evening. We were all also aware of the fact that wherever it was he hid his vodka away during the day, it was completely impossible to find—and believe me, we've all tried, time and time again.

"Vhodit'!"

As soon as I heard the word enter, I jerked into action, hurrying into the office and conveying my news, talking so fast that I don't think he understood a single word of what I was saying. He just sat there staring at me with a rather amused smile on his face, one eyebrow arched, waiting until I paused to catch my breath.

"Viktoria… I think you must have received some exciting news yes? But I am sorry to say that unlike teenage girls, I do not have the ability to translate rapid mumbles into proper conversation. Sit." He nodded his head towards one of the two straight backed chairs facing his desk, reaching for his bottle and pouring out a tiny dollop of vodka into another glass. "Guardian Mashir was supposed to be joining me, but something has apparently delayed him—so perhaps you would like to join me in my toast this evening? We shall drink to your brother. A fine man. I was quite disappointed that I was not allowed to mentor him during his stay here."

I reached over, picking up the glass, unable to stop myself from making a face at the miniscule amount he'd doled out. "Surely my brother deserves a bit more honor than this, sir? After all, he has been to hell and back and lived to tell the tale."

"Ah, this is quite true. Perhaps half a glass then, but no more." He leaned over to top off my glass, smiling at me fondly; out of all the Guardians on campus, he was one of the few who was amused by my antics rather than angered by the things I did. I suspect it was because of his long standing crush on my mother—they'd been classmates a very long time ago—but whatever the reason, I didn't question it. I was just thankful that the Head Guardian on campus had taken a liking to me, which meant that he tended to go easy on me whenever I was sent to him for punishment on some minor infraction—like dozing off in class. "He is indeed a very brave soul—to Dimitri!"

I held my glass up, nodding my head once to show I agreed with the toast, then downed the liquid, marveling at the smooth burn it made as it slid down my throat. After tasting it, I was more determined than ever to ferret out the hidden location of his secret stash—it was the best vodka I'd ever had the pleasure of drinking. "That… is quite excellent. Thank you."

"That it is—and perhaps it will calm you down enough so that you will speak slowly enough for me to process what it is that has you smiling so brightly." He collected the used glasses, moving into the small restroom attached to his office and rinsing them in the sink.

It didn't escape my notice that he'd grabbed his bottle on the way; leaning back in my chair I stretched my neck so I could peek around the door, catching him just as he slid one of the ceiling tiles back in place, the bottle nowhere in sight. I stored that piece of information away in the back of my mind, knowing I would put it to good use when I returned from my vacation.

"My family has been invited to Court—to attend a party for the Queen." I forced myself to speak more slowly this time, trusting he would understand the significance of my statement. For dhampirs to be invited guests to such an even was completely unheard of—an honor never before extended to the best of my knowledge. "Dimka's girlfriend is her guardian, you know."

"I do believe you've mentioned that in passing a few dozen times." He tugged at my ponytail as he passed, settling himself back behind the large, battered wood desk that dominated the room. "I can understand why you are so excited, is your whole family going to be going?"

"Mama said she isn't sure if Karolina and Sonya will be allowed the time off from work, but they were invited too, as well as the little ones. But I think probably it will just be Mama and Yeva and me that go, since she also claimed that the children are too small to behave themselves properly." As horrible as it was, I couldn't help but hope that my sisters would remain at home; it would mean that I could monopolize all my brothers free time without having to compete with my sisters for his attention.

"When would you be leaving?"

"We leave for Court in a week, but Mama said I should come home tomorrow in order to have time to properly prepare." I shot him a pleading look, knowing that without his approval, I wouldn't be going anywhere. "We have to find clothes for the trip, and shoes, and—"

He laughed, holding up his hands to cut off my rambling list. "And a million and one other things that you women have to do to make yourselves presentable. I know. That shouldn't be a problem… how long will you be gone? A week, maybe two?"

I bit my lip, fidgeting in my seat. This would be the tricky part. Mama had said we could extend our stay for up to a month if I could convince Zykov to allow it, but with only five months of school left, getting him to agree might take some doing. "A month—and I know that's a long time when there isn't much school left but I will keep up with my academics, I swear! I can get my assignments from my teacher's tomorrow morning before I catch the train."

"Viktoria—slow down. And what about your training? That's not quite so easy to keep up with and it pains me to remind you that you're already behind in those classes and your trials will be here before you know it. If you'd only put out a bit of effort you could easily surpass your peers—"

I groaned, not wanting to rehash this lecture for the millionth time. At least once a week he gave me a pep talk, hoping to inspire me to try harder in class. "I swear to you that if you let me go I will try harder when I get back. And while I'm gone I can train with Dimka and Roza—that should count for something, shouldn't it? Training with the Queens Guardian and the man who taught her everything she knows?"

Zykov steepled his fingers under his chin, studying me for a moment. His blue eyes were shrewd and assessing, making me feel uneasy for the first time since I'd sat down. Everything hinged on his decision—and judging by his face, he was leaning towards telling me no. "I'm disappointed in you Vika. You forgot one more very compelling argument that is definitely in your favor—he's the only man alive who can give you first-hand knowledge of how a Strigoi thinks."

I winced, gritting my teeth. "I would _never_ use what happened to my brother to further my own desires! It is an insult for you to suggest it sir!"

"Unruffle your feathers, little bird—it may upset you, but that one thing, horrible as it is, is what has convinced me to agree to allow you a month off from this Academy." He held up his hand to silence me before I could speak. "Don't thank me yet, Viktoria—I _will_ be calling your brother to advise him that in order for you to graduate with your peers he will have to serve as your instructor while you are at court, and I _will _be forwarding him your records so he sees what you have to work on. You aren't going to be able to slack off just because he's your brother, and if he cannot devote the time to working with you then you'll have to cut your vacation down to just two weeks. I know Dimitri wouldn't lie to cover for you—he's an honorable man." His lips curled up in an impish grin as he winked. "However, to prove I am not an ogre—I will tell him that I agreed to allow you two weeks of free time, so at least half of your vacation will be dedicated to fun. He can structure the training time in whatever manner he sees fit—whether it be breaking up the training over the course of your trip or cramming it all into two weeks of hard work."

"Thank you sir! I promise I won't slack off—not that that Dimka would allow it. He'd be the first to confine me to my room for punishment, and I definitely don't want that!" My excitement returned full force, making me bounce in my chair. "Oh Mama is going to be so pleased—she was worried you wouldn't allow me a month off."

"Don't worry about getting your assignments together—I'll do it for you and send them to your brother when I send your file." Zykov stood up, holding out to shake my hand, but I was so grateful that would never do. Hopping up out of my chair I hurried around his desk, surprising him by giving him a quick hug that brought a smile to his face. "Now don't you dare tell the other Novices about this Vika—it wouldn't do to have them thinking I was getting soft in my old age. What is it they call me? A tyrant… and I quite like having them believe that of me." He released me, reaching down to brush his fingertips across my cheek for a moment before jerking his head towards the door. "Go on—off with you. I'm sure Olena is pacing, waiting to find out if you've managed to wrap me around your little finger the same way she always did when she was your age. She was never the most patient person when it came to exciting news, so you best hurry."

"She's very patient now—at least… for the most part." I paused in the doorway, looking back at him, unable to stop myself from giving him something in return for the part he played in making my dream of going to Court a reality. "Guardian Zykov…I shouldn't be saying this, but many times I've heard my Mama say that the biggest mistake she ever made was choosing my father over you… and I happen to agree with her. Perhaps you should think about that and act accordingly the next time she comes to visit me."

Without waiting for a response I hurried off, eager to pack and call home, but before I turned away I caught the blush that raced across his cheeks, turning his face almost the exact same shade of red as his hair, and I saw the way his eyes lit up with happiness. His smile was almost as big as the one I was wearing—and it made me realize that maybe… just maybe… today I'd managed to make one of _his_ dreams come true as well, and one of Mama's too.


	2. Chapter 2: Welcome to Court

_Dear Diary,_

_I'm sorry I haven't written in you in a while, but there was so much to do in preparation for our trip that there was barely time for me to catch my breath, let alone steal a few minutes to jot my thoughts down. And I must confess that with the excitement of arriving in court, updating you totally slipped my mind—but I promise to make up for my lapse right now as I have quite a lot to tell you._

_I was quite amazed to discover that the Royal Moroi Court is nothing like what I'd anticipated. For years I've imagined a fancy palace, sitting secluded high up in the mountains, hidden away from prying human eyes, but in actuality, there is so, so much more to it than that. It is secluded, surrounded by hundreds of acres of untouched forest, but in essence it is like a small, self-sustaining town made up of Moroi and dhampirs. There are all kinds of shops and restaurants and businesses, some of which carry things I've never seen outside of the pages of magazines—and even a private airstrip for the convenience of the Royals. That was the very first thing I saw—we flew in on a private jet that Abe sent to collect us, and I am not lying when I tell you it was more luxurious than anything I'd ever seen, with comfortable leather seats and even a small bedroom at the rear of the plane. _

_Abe met us on the tarmac, greeting us exuberantly and even going so far as to bow to Mama and Yeva, kissing their hands like one of the gentlemen in those old fashioned movies that Yeva loves so much. Thank God he didn't do the same to me—though he did wink at me and whistle, saying that Dimitri was going to have his hands full keeping the boys away from his gorgeous little sister. When I tried to collect our luggage he stopped me, saying that we were his guest which meant we simply were not allowed to do a single thing that might be considered work—which made Mama giggle like a school girl and grandmother roll her eyes up to the heavens. His guardians loaded up the trunk of his car—which might I say was just as fancy as his plane—and from there escorted us to where we'd be living while we were at Court so we could relax and get adjusted to the difference in time. I protested, of course; I wanted to go exploring not be sent to my room to nap, but Abe smirked and said that jet lag was a funny thing, sneaking up on you when you least expected it—especially for little girls who'd never flown before. I smiled sweetly and bit my tongue, holding in all the things I wanted to say—he is our host, so I must show him the respect he deserves. _

_I was quite glad that I'd controlled my temper when we pulled up in front of an enormous, sprawling building about ten minutes later; I'd thought we'd probably be staying in one of the building that housed the guardians, perhaps somewhere close to the apartment that Dimka and Roza share, but as it turned out we 'd been given suites in a wing that was normally only used by visiting Royals. Mama immediately protested, saying it was too much, but Abe smoothly told her that the Queen herself had made the arrangements, and that since she considered Dimitri family—that meant we were family too. It was an honor that shocked even Yeva into stunned silence and it brought tears to Mama's eyes;_ _we'd all known Dimka was well thought of at Court, but to hear that the Queen held him in such high regard was honestly the proudest moment of my life. _

I was completely shocked whenhe led us to our rooms. That's right… rooms. I am pleased to announce that I have a suite of rooms all to myself, three whole floors away from Mama and Yeva's. Mama balked at first, but once Abe reminded her that the Queen specified where she wanted us, there was really no way she could politely argue about me being too young to be on my own— I swear sometimes I get so frustrated; she acts as if I'm Paul's age and not just a few days away from my eighteenth birthday. Anyway, we left Mama and Yeva at their adjoining suites then Abe led me back downstairs, leaving me at the door to my own lodgings with a wink, advising me that Roza would be along shortly to show me around. I watched him walk away, wondering if I should ask him about my luggage, but by the time I'd made up my mind he'd disappeared from view. I shouldn't have worried—once I entered the apartment I found my two small bags sitting just inside the door, but I didn't move to unpack them, too eager to explore what would be my home for the next month.

I gazed around the room in complete awe, shocked at how spacious it was; there was a small kitchen off to the side of the large main living area, with two doors leading off into what I assumed were the bedroom and the bath. I wandered around, examining everything, even opening up the refrigerator—which was fully stocked with food—before venturing into the bedroom, and I swear to you that room on its own is three times the size of my room back in Baia. In addition to the small bath off of the central room, there was a much larger, more opulent one attached to the bedroom and I honestly couldn't wait to put it to good use—the tub was so big that I would be able to soak in bubbles right up to my chin if I wanted to, nothing at all like the small, cramped tub that I had to try and squeeze into at home. I was actually contemplating doing just that when a knock at the door alerted me that I had my first visitor. I hurried back through the apartment, assuming it was Roza, throwing open the door and blasting her before she could say a word. "Too good to meet us at the plane huh? Should I be insulted that you—oh… uh… hello. I'm sorry… I was expecting… someone else."

To my embarrassment, it wasn't Roza. It was a girl close to my age—perhaps a little older, with pale colored hair pulled back in a long braid that fell halfway down her back and an amused smile on her lovely face. She was dressed much like I was, in a t-shirt and jeans, though hers were much nicer and more expensive looking than my own.

"I wouldn't worry too much, I'm sure she'll be along any minute now. I waited for her to go to the bathroom and then I made a break for it. May I come in?"

"Oh… yes. Please. How rude of me." Still confused as to why she was knocking on my door, I stepped back so she could enter, though I made point to hold the door partially open—after all, she was a stranger. "I think perhaps you must have the wrong room. I've only just arrived and I—"

She laughed softly, cutting me off mid-sentence as she looked around the room. "Oh I know—I've been dying to meet you. I just didn't want anyone trying to make a big production out of it. Do you like your apartment? I hope you don't mind being alone, but I have a feeling your Mother and Dimitri might be a little over protective since it's your first trip to Court. I thought you might need some space to yourself so you could come and go as you pleased." Her eyes fell on my luggage, her smile widening so much that I caught the briefest flash of her fangs as she headed for the bags. "You haven't unpacked yet! Good—I can help. That way I can see what you brought and—gosh, you didn't bring very much did you? That's okay, we can go shopping as soon as you get settled in and—"

Maybe it was just the jet lag that Abe warned me would probably hit—or maybe it was just that I felt like an idiot, standing there holding open the door just in case she tried to attack me, but her presumptuousness snapped my patience. "Look—that's very nice of you to offer, and I don't mean to be rude but I have no idea who you are or why—"

"You really don't know who I am?" She looked complexly delighted by my ignorance. "God you have no idea how wonderful that is. I get so tired of people kissing up to me just because I'm—"

At that moment the half open door slammed into my side, the force of the blow hurling me off my feet; I hit the carpet face first, my breath completely knocked out of me, and it took me a second to process what—or should I say _who_—it was that had hit me.

"God damn it Lissa! You can't just fucking take off like that! I was about to sound the alarm when Abe called to tell me where you were." A pair of angry dark eyes flicked from my strange visitor to me, narrowing quizzically as they took in my sprawled out position. "Vika… what in the hell are you doing on the floor?"

"When you came tearing in here like a express train you knocked me over. I'm probably going to be black and blue tomorrow—thanks a lot." I glared up at her, about to say more when my brain finally caught up with what she'd said; glancing over at the blonde Moroi—who was trying not to giggle—I realized who exactly it was I'd been entertaining. "Oh my God! You're… Roza—is that.. She's… I thought you were just…."

"Where exactly did the door hit you—in the head?" Roza shut and locked the door before reaching down to help me to my feet. Turning to glare at her best friend—who had lost any control she'd had over her amusement the moment I'd started rambling—she crossed her arms over her chest, preparing to light into her—but Vasilisa Dragomir beat her to it.

Wiping her eyes as she tried to stop giggling, the young queen collapsed on the couch, letting out a deep sigh. "That's why I didn't wait for you—I wanted to meet Dimitri's sister as Lissa and not as the queen."

"That doesn't make a damned bit of sense Liss—you're always the queen." Roza moved over to sit beside her, propping her feet up on the coffee table. "I'm still wicked pissed. Just for the record."

"I'm not stupid Rose—Sergey and Erik are stationed at either end of the hall. You probably ran straight past them before you tried to give poor Viktoria a concussion." She glanced over at me, her pale brow creasing. "Please… sit down. Don't start acting any differently than you were before you knew who I was, alright? I may be a queen but that doesn't mean we can't be friends—I've been looking forward to meeting Dimitri's family ever since Rose got back from Russia. Especially you, Vika." She ducked her head down, the palest hint of embarrassment creeping across the tops of her cheeks. "If I can call you that?"

I stared at her a moment, unsure what to do, my eyes darting over to Roza for guidance. She barely moved her head, but it was all the indication I needed ; a moment later I moved forward, holding out my hand to the blonde Moroi, telling myself that if she wanted me to pretend she wasn't a queen then surely I could at least try to do the same thing. "You can call me whatever you like, Your Majesty—as long as you promise to tell Roza to start watching where she is going."

The grateful smile she gave me was proof I'd done the right thing. Her hand slipped into mine, soft and cool, bearing none of the callouses that my own hands had from all the years I'd put into training. "Lissa. Just call me Lissa. And since we've gotten all the introductions out of the way…" she stood up, releasing my hands, already moving towards the door, "now can I unpack your suitcases? Please?"

"No! I mean… I can do it—you don't have to…" I shot a pleading glance at Roza, horrified at the thought of the Queen pawing through my meager belongings. I took a step toward her, intent on stopping her, but I wobbled a little, suddenly feeling slightly dizzy.

"Forget it Vik—just let her do it. If you don't she'll just sit watching you do it and end up taking over anyway. She's a complete control freak."

"I am not! I just want to see what she brought—and you know I'm always looking for a reason to go shopping. She needs souvenirs to take home right?" Lissa called over her shoulder, dragging my suitcases off towards the bedroom. "And she only brought two tiny bags!"

"Souvenirs are usually tacky t-shirts and ball caps Liss. Not designer wardrobes." Roza reached up, grabbing my hands and pulling me down on the couch next to her—for which I was grateful since I was still feeling woozy. "She really does like doing it, so let it go. It keeps her mind occupied and focused—which is a good thing. She's been acting a little vague lately. Drifting off into dazes… taking off the way she did today without saying a word to anyone. It's a side effect of Spirit."

"I cannot let her buy me things Roza," I hissed out in a furious whisper. "Dimka would be very upset by this."

"There are five brand new dusters hanging in our coat closet Vika. He can't stop her either. You're gonna have to get used to it. The only person who can rein her in is Abe, and even then it takes some doing." She shrugged her shoulders, resting her head against the back of the couch. "Speaking of your brother… man are you in for a world of hurt. I hope you weren't planning on him going easy on you—he's been working on your training schedule since that Fido guy called."

"Fyodor—and I knew he would be a tough task master. But he does know I get two weeks free, tight?"

"Mhmmm… but he also got emailed copies of your records, so be prepared for a lecture or two. Or ten. And laps. Lots and lots of laps." She grinned at me, then winked. "Don't worry—I'll distract him from time to time so he doesn't work you to death."

"My marks aren't _that _ bad—and I also have to keep up with my academics so he has to—" I paused as someone knocked at the door. "Another visitor? Already?"

"I'll get it!" The Queen—um… I mean Lissa—sailed by us, smiling broadly.

"Use the peep hole first!" Roza huffed in irritation in response to her best friend sticking out her tongue as she completely ignoring the instructions, simply opening up the door.

"Hello, can I help you?"

"Oh! I'm terribly sorry I must have the wrong room. I thought this was where my daughter was staying—"

"Olena?" Roza jumped up off the couch, running over to push past Lissa and wrap her arms around my mother. "Please tell me you brought some of your black bread… or at least that you'll make me some while you're here."

"Roza! And pray tell me who this lovely young lady is and where exactly is my daughter?" She turned to Lissa with a friendly smile on her face, then froze—putting the puzzle together a whole lot faster than I had. "Oh my—you're Vasilisa… the Queen! You're the one who saved my boy! You gave me back my Dimitri!"

My mother didn't hesitate; immediately she threw her arms around the Moroi girl, not caring that they'd only just met or that she was a Queen. Tears streamed down her face as she whispered her thanks over and over, rocking Lissa in her arms and offered up her undying devotion for saving my brothers soul. I wanted to do the same, shocked that I hadn't thought to thank her myself, but when I tried to get up I found that my muscles wouldn't obey me. I felt like I'd been hit by a real truck and not just Roza—my limbs weak and limp, refusing to cooperate. Letting my head fall back against the couch, I sighed, suddenly so tired that I felt slightly ill. I listened to them talk, telling myself I would just close my eyes for a few minutes, but the fatigue was pressing down on me so hard that I felt like I hadn't slept for a week. I hated to admit it, but Abe was right; I needed a quick nap, and whether my mind agreed or not, my body was shutting down. The last thing I remember hearing as I drifted off to sleep was my mother's horrified protests as the Ruler of the Moroi world insisted she wanted to help her unpack and wouldn't take no for an answer—just as soon as she finished doing the chore for me.


End file.
